Stereotype-block.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. 15'. A. BERRY. STEREOTYPE BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2a, 1901.

R0 MODEL.

Fill 1- UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904..

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCK A. BERRY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO PQR. RIDEOUT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEREOTYPE-BLOCIK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,517, dated July 5, 1904. Application filed December 28,1901. Serial No. 87,568. on) model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCK A. BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of 5 Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereotype-Blocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the IQ art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to stereotype blocks for holding stereotype-plates, such as are used by printers in book and other like presses.

As is well-known to those skilled in this art, it is now the practice to print from thin metallic plates, upon one face of which is formed a printing-surface, and such plates are known as stereotype-plates. These plates are designed to be securely held upon blocks known as stereotype-blocks, which are of a thickness suflieient to raise the printingsurface of the stereotype-plates to the desired elevation above the bed of the press. These blocks are generally provided upon their upper surfaces with low flanges extending along one end and one side, against which one end and one side of the stereotype-plate is forced by the clamping-dogs arranged to be advanced to clamp the opposite end and side of the plate. Asheretofore constructed these clamping-dogs have generally been moved toward and from the edges of the stereotype-plate by beyond the side and end of the block and means of screws, the ends of which project produce a stereotype-block in which the clamping-dogs shall have preliminary independent adjusting movement, whereby each dog may be moved independently of the others toward and from the edge of the plate, and alsosimultaneous clamping and releasing movements-that is to say, all of said dogs are to be moved at the same time into and out of clamping contact with the edge of the plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and quickly-operated connected mechanism for imparting to the dogs their clamping movements and to so construct such mechanism that it shall be located entirely within the marginal edges of the block.

Other objects of the invention will appear in connection with the following description. of the construction, organization, and mode of operation.

To the above ends the present invention consists of the devices and combinations of devices which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows an under side plan view of a stereotype-block embodying the invention. Fig. 2 shows a top plan view of the block, showing a plate in position thereon and held by the clamping-dogs. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view taken on the dotted line a m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference will be employed throughout the specification and drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, a represents the block, which is usually made of oblong shape and which can be made of any usual or preferred material, either Wood or metal, but is preferably made of a metal casting comprising a top 6, side flanges c, and strengthening-ribs (Z. For lightness I prefer to make the block a of an aluminium casting. The top I) is provided along one side and one end with the low vertically-disposed flanges (,4, arranged to engage one side and one end of the stereotype-plate f. The opposite end and side of the plate f is designed to be engaged by the clampingdogs 5 which are movable toward and from the plate f in slots it, formed in the top 7) of the block a. The clamping-dogs 9 have a preliminary independent adjusting movement toward the plate f, whereby they may be individually moved into contact with the plate f, and said dogs are also arranged and connected so as to be capable of a simultaneous locking or clamping movement. This feature of my invention I believe to be broadly new, and therefore while the mechanism by which this is secured in the illustrated embodiment of my invention and which will now be described is the best form now known to me it will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to such illustrated embodiment.

Each of the clamping-dogs is formed with an open shank g, mounted upon a carrier I: and arranged to have a sliding adjusting movement along said carrier. The opening g in the shank g is of such a size with relation to the cross-sectional dimensions of the carrier is that the dog g and its shank 9' may tip slightly upon its carrier 7:. The lower edge of the opening g of the shank g is provided with a tooth g arranged to engage in the teeth l1, formed along the under surface of the carrier k, the arrangement being such that when held upright the dog may freely move along its carrier and be adjusted with relation to the edge of the plate f; but any force applied to the clamping-dog g to tip it or cause it to assume an inclined position will cause the shank to tip and the tooth g thereon to engage with the teeth 7;, thus locking the dog to its carrier in any position to which it may be adjusted.

The carriers k are substantially square in cross-section and are slidingly mounted, so as to advance the dogs toward and retract them from the edges of the platef. The rear ends of the carriers are provided with reduced portions it, which are arranged to move and be guided by bearings If, and the forward ends of the carriers are supported movably in bearings 1" formed integrally with one side and end flange a. The carriers are moved outward to impart the releasing movement to the clamping-dogs g by means of springs s, seated in the bearings and bearing against the reduced portions If. The forward end of each of the carriers I: is slotted, as at s, and engages sliding cam-bars s and 8 the bar .9 having two inclined or cam surfaces .9 for moving two of the carriers A, While the bar has one cam-surface a for moving one of the carriers. The bars 8 and .9 it will be noted, move in paths disposed at right angles to each other, and therefore impart a simultaneous movement to the clamping-dogs in paths at right angles to each other. At this point I will say that while I have shown but three clamping-dogs, one engaging one end of the plate and two engaging one side of the plate, it will of course be understood that the numin the plate 19 secured to the flanges by screws 9* or in any other desired or convenient way. This post p is provided with an arm 25, extending therefrom at right angles, and this arm is connected to the cam-bars by means of links 6 and 6 which are pivotally connected to said arm at t" and to their respective cam-bars at f and The above arrangement is such that, as shown in Fig. 1, when the post p is turned to cause its arm 25 to assume the position shown in full lines in said figure the cam-bars will be moved to the full-line positions, and thus impart simultaneously the clamping movement to the clamping-dogs To release the clamping-dogs, the post p is turned to cause its arm 6 to assume the position shown in dotted lines, thus permitting the springs s to move the carriers A. For the purpose of turning the post 2 any suitable means may be employed; but preferably said post at its upper end is provided with an angular opening 20, arranged to receive a correspondingly-shaped tool or key, (not shown in the drawings,) which when inserted in the angular opening may be turned to turn the post 19.

It will be noted that none of the actuating mechanism for the clamping-dogs projects beyond the boundaries of the block nor above the surface thereof, so that there is nothing to prevent the close juxtaposition of a series of such blocks carrying the desired stereotype-plates upon the bed of the press.

In order to provide for lost motion of the cam-bars in the event that one or more of the clamping-clogs should assume its clamping position before the others, and thus prevent the breaking or damaging of the operating mechanism, I have provided a yielding connection between the carriers is and the cambars, which, as shown in the drawings, consists of small springs y, seated in the recess y, formed in the outer ends of the carriers is and bearing against the blocks or followers which engage the inner faces of the cambars. This construction produces a yielding movement and prevents damage to the dogs or their operating mechanism.

In the operation of the device the plate is placed upon the inner surface of the block a with one end and one side engaging the flanges e. The locking-clogs g are then independently and individually moved forward along their carriers until they are in contact with the opposite side and end of the plate f. The key is now inserted in the post 19 and said post turned, thus moving the cam-bars and causing their cam-surfaces to advance the carriers and clamping-dog's, which will automatically become fixed or looked upon their carriers,and thus tightly clamp the plate f upon the block.

Having described the construction, organization, and mode of operation of my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by ing to said carriers and dogs a yield ing clan1p lng movement, substantially as described.

3. In a stereotype-block, in combination, end and side clamping-dogs, carriers for said dog's, independentlyadjustable connections between said dogs and their carriers, sliding cam-bars engaging the ends of the carriers, a post mounted to turn in suitable bearings and a connection between said post and said sliding cam-bars, substantially as described.

4. In a stereotype-block in combination a series of clamping-dogs, a series of carriers for said dog's, independently-adjustable eonnections between each dog and its carrier,

means for simultaneously imparting locking movement to said carriers comprisingyielding connections between said means and each of said carriers.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANGK A. BERRY.

Witnesses:

T. HART ANDERSON, FREDicRIo W. GALBRAITH, Jr. 

